Members

American Fiqh Academy consists of qualified jurists (muftis) who have studied under several leading jurists across multiple continents.

Prior to their extensive training in the principles and practice of issuing legal verdicts (fatwas), most members have completed the rigorous six to eight year ‘Alim course, which consists of detailed studies of Arabic grammar (nahw), morphology (sarf), and eloquence (balaghah); jurisprudence (fiqh) and its principles (usul); hadith and its principles; Quranic exegesis (tafsir) and its principles; creed (‘aqidah) and logic (mantiq); pronunciation, intonation, and caesura pertaining to Quran recitation (tajwid); and Prophetic and general Islamic history (sirah, tarikh).

Mufti Abrar began his Arabic and Islamic Studies at Benedictine University (Lisle, IL) while enrolled in a degree program in Information Systems. Simultaneously, he began formal studies at Darul Qasim, an accelerated adult learning institute in Glen Ellyn, IL. He later enrolled in a summer Arabic program at the Ma’had Ta’lim al-Islam in Elgin, IL, upon which he decided to continue his studies in the religious sciences and helped form the first batch of graduate students from the ‘Alim program. He thus had the good fortune to study under recognized scholars, including the renowned commentator of the Quran and former Shaykh al-Hadith of the Dar al-‘Ulum in Deoband, Mawlana Muhammad Na’im (may Allah have mercy on him), under whom he completed the study of Sahih al-Bukhari.

Mufti Abrar graduated from Benedictine University in 2006 with honors and a degree in Information Systems while simultaneously pursuing his Islamic studies full-time. He completed his ‘Alim course in 2007 and, thereafter, enrolled at Madrasah In’aamiyyah (Camperdown, South Africa) to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (fatwas). In 2009, Mufti Abrar completed his training under the tutelage of Mufti Ebrahim Desai (may Allah lengthen his life), a world renowned jurist and expert in Islamic finance. He is also fortunate to have received authorization to narrate from forty-four books of hadith.

Mufti Abrar is the founder of the American Fiqh Academy and is active in the field of research and issuing legal verdicts (fatwas). In addition, he serves as an instructor of jurisprudence (fiqh) and hadith to advanced ‘Alim course students in Chicago, and he also trains ‘ulama in the field of issuing legal verdicts.

Mufti Abdullah Nana is a native of California, where he completed, with honors, a four-year Business Administration degree at the University of California at Berkeley under just two and a half years.

In order to pursue his desire for Islamic knowledge, Mufti Abdullah traveled to Madrasah Arabiyyah Islamiyyah in Azaadville, South Africa, where he studied the rigorous and intensive ‘Alim course for seven years. Mufti Abdullah also completed his specialization in Islamic jurisprudence (iftaa) and obtained an authorization from his teachers to issue legal verdicts (fatwas).

Mufti Abdullah currently serves as an Imam at the Islamic Center of Mill Valley, teaches Arabic and Islamic sciences full-time at school in San Francisco, and is a guest speaker at various universities and Masjids. Moreover, he is the founder of a national halal advocacy and certifying body dedicated to removing the confusion surrounding halal meat in the country. Mufti Abdullah has also authored books on a variety of topics, including The Virtues of Islamic Knowledge, Stoning to Death in Islam, Legal Rulings on Slaughtered Animals, and The Maidens of Paradise.

Mufti Abdullah currently lives in Mill Valley, CA and is happily married with six children.

Mufti Suhail was born and raised in South Africa where he completed his Quran memorization and studied the various Islamic sciences as part of the ‘Alim course at the Institute of Higher Education in Ispingo Beach under senior scholars, including Mawlana Haroon Abasoomar. Thereafter, he enrolled at Madrasah In’aamiyyah in Camperdown, South Africa to study the science of issuing legal verdicts under the renowned scholar Mufti Ebrahim Desai. Additionally, he spent some time studying in the blessed city of Madinah under Shaykh Muhammad Mukhtar Shanqiti.

Mufti Suhail has been very active in working with Muslims in the various parts of Russia, including Moscow, Kazan, and Chechnya. He is fluent in Russian and his fatwas on a wide variety of topics have been compiled in a Russian fatwa book titled Contemporary Fatawa.

Mufti Suhail has extensive experience in the field of issuing fatwas, especially when he served as the in-house Mufti of the Jamiatul Ulama in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa from 2008 – 2014. He currently serves as the imam of the Islamic Center of Redmond in the state of Washington.

Mufti Ehzaz Ajmeri spent the majority of his life growing up in the Midwest of America. After finishing high school, he embarked on the path of gaining sacred knowledge. His religious pursuits led him to South Africa, a country known for having some of the world’s foremost Islamic seminaries. In South Africa, he enrolled in Darul Uloom Zakariyya where he spent seven years studying a rigorous ‘Alim course under some of the country’s greatest scholars, including Mufti Raza-ul-Haq, from whom he received formal certifications (ijazah).

After finishing the Alim course, Mufti Ehzaz continued his studies and enrolled in Madrasah Inaamiyyah in Camperdown, South Africa where he spent an additional two years working training in the field of iftaa (issuance of legal Islamic verdicts) under the world famous scholar Mufti Ebrahim Desai. Currently, Mf. Ehzaz is an instructor at Darussalam Foundation in Lombard, IL and lives in a neighboring suburb with his wife and four children.

Mufti Ikram ul Haq completed the memorization of the Quran at the young age of eleven. In 2000, his passion for the religion led him to enroll at Darul Uloom Madania in Buffalo, NY, where he spent the next six years studying the ‘Alim course. Upon completion, Mufti Ikram traveled to Pakistan to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) at Jami’ah Darul Uloom Karachi where he completed the rigorous three year course. Moreover, he completed an intensive diploma course on contemporary Islamic banking and finance at the Center for Islamic Economics. Mufti Ikram’s teachers include the renowned expert in Islamic finance, Mufti Taqi Usmani, as well as the current Grand Mufti of Pakistan, Mufti Rafi Usmani.

Mufti Ikram has answered thousands of queries over the past decade and serves as the resident scholar at Masjid al-Islam in Rhode Island. He is also active in a variety of different roles, including Sharia adviser to Hakim Wealth Management, assistant professor of legal studies and assistant chaplain at Roger Williams University, and an associate at Straightway Ethical Advisory.

Mufti Hisham is a native of Chicago where completed his memorization of the Quran at the age of fourteen. In January 2007, his desire for higher Islamic education led him to Camperdown, South Africa where he enrolled at Madrasah In’aamiyyah to begin his ‘Alim course. Mufti Hisham then transferred to Darul Uloom Zakariyyah in Johannesburg, South Africa to complete his final three years, studying under several senior scholars, including Mufti Rada-ul Haq.

Upon graduating from ‘Alim course in 2013, Mufti Hisham continued his education, specializing the in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under Mufti Ebrahim Desai and Mufti Husain Kadodia (may Allah protect them) at Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah in Durban, South Africa. Mufti Hisham returned back to Chicago in 2015 and joined Darul Qasim where he continues to serve as a full-time faculty member.

Mufti Sajid Ali is a native of Chicago, where he initiated his formal Islamic studies at the Institute of Islamic Education in Elgin, Illinois. After completing his ‘Alim course in 2007, Mufti Sajid briefly pursued higher secular education for a year before his zeal for jurisprudence led him half way across the world to Camperdown, South Africa, where he enrolled at Madrasah In’aamiyyah to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under the expert in Hanafi fiqh, Mufti Ebrahim Desai (may Allah lengthen his life). He successfully completed his training in 2010 and received authorization (ijazah) in issuing fatwas (legal verdicts).

Mufti Sajid currently serves at the imam at Dar Un-Noor Center in Fort Worth, Texas and his active in the broader Dallas-Forth Worth area through teaching, lectures, and various other outreach programs.

Mufti Ahmad Jafari was born in Miami, Florida, but moved to Atlanta, Georgia at an early age to begin his quest for knowledge. At the age of nine, he enrolled at Darul Uloom at Al-Farooq Masjid to pursue the memorization of the Quran, which he finished by the age of twelve. Thereafter, in 2006, Mufti Ahmad enrolled at Darul Uloom Madania in Buffalo, New York to enroll in the ‘Alim course, which he finished six years later at the institution’s branch in Chatham, Ontario, Canada.

In 2012, Mufti Ahmad returned to Atlanta to serve as the imam for Masjid Abu Bakr and Islamic Community Center for Atlanta. After serving the community for three years, his passion for knowledge drove him to travel to Durban, South Africa to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under Mufti Ebrahim Desai at Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah for the next two year.

Mufti Ahmad currently serves as the imam at Darul Arqam Institute in Atlanta.

Mufti Abdul Azeem Khan was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana where he completed the memorization of the Quran in 2002. After completing high school in 2006, Mufti Abdul Azeem started his journey in studying the ‘Alim course, which started in Houston, Texas for one year, continued for another three years in Darul Uloom New York, and finally completed in 2011 at Madrasah Arabiyyah Islamiyyah in Azaadville, South African after an additional two years.

Thereafter, Mufti Abdul Azeem enrolled at the prestigious Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah in Durban, South African to pursue specialization in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under Mufti Ebrahim Desai and Mufti Husain Kadodia (may Allah protect them). Upon completion in 2013, he spent one year traveling within India and Bangladesh for the effort rejuvenating the iman of Muslims and calling them toward Allah.

Mufti Abdul Azeem currently serves as the imam of Masjid Yaseen in Dallas, Texas and is the principal of Al-Hameed Boys Academy, a full-time institute for Quran memorization and ‘Alim course.

Mufti Abdullah Mutayyab had the fortune of enrolling at Jamiah Madinatul Ilm in Westland, Michigan to pursue his ‘Alim course when it was still in its initial stages. Due to the small class sizes, Mufti Abdullah was able to form a very close relationship with his teachers and soon became beloved to them. After completing his ‘Alim course in 2013, Mufti Abdullah traveled to Durban, South Africa to pursue specialization in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) for the next two years under the tutelage of Mufti Ebrahim Desai and Mufti Husain Kadodia (may Allah protect them).

Mufti Abdullah remains active in the field of answering legal question and serves as the religious director at the Islamic Center of Broward in South Beach, Florida.

Mufti Asif Iqbal was born in Mumbai, India and moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1992 where he began his memorization of the Quran at Jamia Madinatul Uloom. Thereafter, in 1996, he enrolled at the prestigious Darul Uloom Madania in Buffalo, New York to embark on his studies of the ‘Alim course. Upon excelling in his studies and graduating six year later, Mufti Asif traveled to Hyderabad, India to pursue specialization in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa).

Mufti Asif served as the imam and religious director at Manassas Muslim Association in Manassas, Virginia from 2004 – 2015, and he currently serves as the director and faculty member at Hira Institute in Louisville, Kentucky.

Mufti Shibbir was born in Bangladesh but grew up in Patterson, New Jersey. His initial studies were under his father, Mawlana Abdur Razzak, before enrolling in Darul Uloom New York to begin his memorization of the Quran. Upon completion after two years, Mufti Shibbir stayed at the same institution to transition into the ‘Alim course and eventually traveled to Azaadville, South Africa to complete his studies at Madrasah Arabiyyah Islamiyyah under senior scholars, including the hadith expert Shaykh Fadlur Rahman Azmi. Additionally, he was also blessed to complete the study of seven different modes of recitation under the late Qari Ismail Ishaq (may Allah have mercy on him).

From South Africa, Mufti Shibbir traveled to Dhaka, Bangladesh and enrolled at Markaz al-Da’wah al-Islamiyyah to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under the guidance of several well-known scholars, such as Shaykh Abdul Malik, a student of Shaykh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah (may Allah have mercy on him).

Currently, Mufti Shibbir serves as the principal of Darul Uloom New Jersey where he also teaches various subjects.

Mufti Tawsif Quabili initiated his path toward Islamic education with the memorization of the Quran, which he completed in 2005 at ASIA Academy in Houston, Texas. Thereafter, he traveled to Azaadville, South Africa to enroll in the ‘Alim course at Madrasah Arabiyyah Islamiyyah. During his studies, Mufti Tawsif also completed the studies in the seven different modes of recitation. After completing the ‘Alim course, he decided to further his Islamic studies at the same institution by specializing in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under the tutelage of Mufti Saeed Motara (may Allah protect him).

Currently, Mufti Tawsif is teaching the initial years of the ‘Alim course at Masjid Yaseen in Garland, Texas.

Mufti Asif Umar was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. At a young age, he completed the memorization of the Quran at the Institute of Islamic Education in Elgin, IL, where he also pursued higher Islamic education by enrolling in the ‘Alim course. Mufti Asif was fortune to be amongst the final students of Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana Muhammad Na’im (may Allah have mercy on him).

Upon graduation in 2007, Mufti Asif continued his education by enrolling in a course to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under the tutelage of the renowned jurist Mufti Ebrahim Desai (may Allah protect him) in Durban, South Africa. After receiving authorization in 2009, he traveled to Cairo, Egypt where he spent a few months studying spoken Arabic at Al-Diwan Center, as well as studying privately under scholars from Al-Azhar University. He eventually returned to the US and started teaching Islamic sciences at Madinatul Uloom in Virginia before returning back to his hometown.

Currently, Mufti Asif serves as the imam of the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis, in addition to being actively involved in other organizations, including the Imams Council of Greater St. Louis and the Interfaith Partnership of St. Louis.

Mufti Nayef Patel was born and raised in New York before traveling overseas Nottingham, England where he began his ‘Alim course. After three years, Mufti Nayef traveled further east to Pakistan where he enrolled at Darul Uloom Karachi to continue his studies under the auspices of some of the most respected scholars in the world, including Mufti Taqi Usmani and Mufti Rafi Usmani, the grand Mufti of Pakistan. Upon completing his ‘Alim course, Mufti Nayef continued his Islamic studies by specializing in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) at Jamiat al-Ulum al-Islamiyyah Binnori Town and Jamiah Binnoria, spending a year at each institution.

During his stay in Pakistan, Mufti Nayef was able to receive authorization in various books of hadith from senior scholars, including Mawlana Saleemullah Khan, a direct student of Shaykh al-Islam Mawlana Husain Ahmad Madani (may Allah have mercy on them both). Concurrently, he completed his BA in Islamic and Arabic Studies from the University of Karachi.

Currently, Mufti Nayef serves as the imam at Masjid Umar bin Khattab in Brownstown, Michigan and conducts various community programs for the youth and the adults.

Mufti Mohammad Jafari began his Islamic studies with the memorization of the Quran in 2001, which he finished in 2004. With a desire for deeper understanding of the Quran, Mufti Mohammad enrolled in the ‘Alim course at Darul Uloom Madani (Buffalo, New York) in 2006 and completed at its branch in Chatham, Canada in 2012. Upon graduation, he decided to pursue further education by specializing in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under Mufti Husain Ahmadand received his authorization in 2014.

Mufti Mohammad served as an imam in the Islamic Center of Elizabethtown, Kentucky for a year and a half before moving back to Atlanta, Georgia where we was brought up. He currently serves as the imam at Masjid Suffah, as well as an instructor and Quran Memorization Director at al-Furqan Academy.

Mufti Mohammad Farhan was raised in New York and did most of his secular education there before traveling to Karachi, Pakistan to enroll in the ‘Alim course at Jamia Binnoria. After completing a rigorous eight year course, Mufti Farhan’s passion for jurisprudence led him to continue at the same institution to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) and received his authorization in 2007.

Currently, Mufti Farhan serves multiple Islamic institutions in various parts of New York. He is the Director of Islamic Affairs at Masjid al-Baqi in Bethpage, a religious consultant for the Islamic Center of South Shore in Valley Stream, and the spiritual adviser for Islamic Center of Long Island in Westbury. Mufti Farhan is a member of the Zabiha Halal Monitoring Committee, a member of various interfaith councils, and co-founder and President of Children of Adam, a youth education focused non-profit organization.

Mufti Yasir Nadeem al-Wajidi comes from a noble family of scholars and, naturally, his first Islamic school was his home, where he completed his memorization of the Quran under his respected father, Mawlana Nadeem al-Wajidi. Thereafter, Mufti Yasir enrolled at the illustrious Darul Uloom in Deoband, India, where he completed the ‘Alim course in 2001. Mufti Yasir continued his studies at the same institution to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under Mufti Habib al-Rahman Khayrabadi, from whom he received an authorization (ijazah) in 2003. Mufti Yasir further continued his studies, earning a Master in Arabic Language and Literature from American Open University (VA, USA) and a PhD in Hadith from International Islamic University (Malaysia).

Mufti Yasir has authored over a hundred publications in Arabic and Urdu, including the best-selling Urdu book Islam and Globalization and the multilingual dictionary Al-Qasmus al-Asri. He is also the founder of Darul Uloom Online, an online learning institute for advanced Islamic studies. Currently, Mufti Yasir lives in Chicago, IL and teaches advanced books of jurisprudence and hadith at the Institute of Islamic Education (Elgin, IL).

Mufti Abdul Mannan Nizami grew up in Chicago and pursued the memorization of the Quran at an early age. Upon completion, Mufti Abdul Mannan enrolled at Darul Uloom al-Madania in Buffalo, NY to pursue his ‘Alim course. After four years at the institute, he transferred to its branch, Darul Uloom Canada, in Chatham, Ontorio, Canada and completed his final two years.

Upon graduation in 2013, Mufti Abdul Mannan traveled to Sherwood, South Africa and enrolled at Darul Iftaa al-Mahmudiyyah to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under the world renowned scholar and expert in Islamic finance, Mufti Ebrahim Desai. After two rigorous years of study, he received authorization (ijazah), after which he spent a year in propagating the religion and calling Muslims toward a stronger relationship with Allah Ta’ala.

Mufti Abdul Mannan currently lives in a Chicago, IL suburb and teaches jurisprudence, prophetic history, and other Islamic studies to part-time students. Additionally, he is also certified practitioner in the sunnah treatment of cupping (hijamah).

Mufti Abdullah Aijaz was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, where he completed his memorization of the Quran at the age of nine. After a few years, he enrolled at Darul Uloom New York and completed four year of the ‘Alim course, thereafter completing the final two overseas at Madrasah Arabiyyah Islamiyyah in 2014. Immediately upon graduating, Mufti Abdullah dedicated one year for da’wah domestically, as well as internationally in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

Upon returning from his da’wah activities, Mf. Abdullah decided to pursue his education further, enrolling at Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah in Durban, South Africa to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under world renowned scholars Mufti Ebrahim Desai and Mufti Husain Kadodia (may Allah lengthen their lives) for the next two years. Simultaneously, he also completed an associates degree in Islamic Financing, Banking, and Law from Regents Business School (Durban, South Africa).

Currently, Mufti Abdullah resides in Baltimore, Maryland where he serves as a faculty member of Al-Rahmah Quran Academy at the Islamic Society of Baltimore.

Mufti Mohammed Wasim Khan was born in Dallas, Texas and began his Islamic education at an early age. After spending several months focusing on Quran recitation at Jami’at al-Ilm wa al-Huda in the UK, Mufti Wasim enrolled in the ‘Alim course at Darul Uloom Madania in Buffalo, NY. After a few year, he traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa to enroll in Darul Uloom Zakariyyah and graduated in 2010. With a motivation for Islamic studies, Mufti Wasim stayed at the same institution for an additional two years to specialize in the field of issuing legal verdicts (iftaa) under the renowned jurist Mufti Ridaa al-Haq. Additionally, Mufti Wasim holds izajah in hadith from numerous scholars, including Shaykh Shu’aib Arna’ut and Shaykh Yunus of Saharanpur, India (may Allah enlighten their graves).

Currently, Mufti Wasim resides in Dallas as the imam of the Islamic Center of Frisco. He also serves as the dean of ISRA Foundation, an online part-time Islamic studies institution.